Favourite Poets

[Finebyme]

Thomas Gray (1716-1771)

Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes The Poem
Thomas Gray.


I.
'TWAS on a lofty vase's side,
Where China's gayest art had dy'd
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima reclin'd,
Gaz'd on the lake below.
II.
Her conscious tail her joy declar'd;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw, and purr'd applause.
III.
Still had she gaz'd; but midst the tide
Two beauteous forms were seen to glide,
The Genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue,
Through richest purple, to the view,
Betray'd a golden gleam.
IV.
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?
V.
Presumptuous Maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulph between;
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smil'd.)
The slippery verge her feet beguil'd;
She tumbled headlong in.
VI.
Eight times emerging from the flood,
She mew'd to every watery God,
Some speedy aid to send.
No Dolphin came, no Nereid stir'd:
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard.
A favourite has no friend.
VII.
From hence, ye beauties, undeceiv'd,
Know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all, that glisters, gold.

[cathidaw]

Thanks for that. Thomas Gray was my favourite when I was at college. the I traitored to Wilfred Gibson's - ice man cometh
'Perched upon my Office stool' etc
but my lasting favourite is 'Khubla khan, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

[rebbonk]

Larkin would be my most favourite. Not only did we share the same school, I thought his most famous poem was very accurate.

[cathidaw]

thomas gray (1716-1771)

ode on the death of a favourite cat, drowned in a tub of gold fishes the poem
thomas gray.


I.
'twas on a lofty vase's side,
where china's gayest art had dy'd
the azure flowers that blow;
demurest of the tabby kind,
the pensive selima reclin'd,
gaz'd on the lake below.
Ii.
Her conscious tail her joy declar'd;
the fair round face, the snowy beard,
the velvet of her paws,
her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
she saw, and purr'd applause.
Iii.
Still had she gaz'd; but midst the tide
two beauteous forms were seen to glide,
the genii of the stream;
their scaly armour's tyrian hue,
through richest purple, to the view,
betray'd a golden gleam.
Iv.
The hapless nymph with wonder saw:
A whisker first, and then a claw,
with many an ardent wish,
she stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat's averse to fish?
V.
Presumptuous maid! With looks intent
again she stretch'd, again she bent,
nor knew the gulph between;
(malignant fate sat by, and smil'd.)
the slippery verge her feet beguil'd;
she tumbled headlong in.
Vi.
Eight times emerging from the flood,
she mew'd to every watery god,
some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no nereid stir'd:
Nor cruel tom, nor susan heard.
A favourite has no friend.
Vii.
From hence, ye beauties, undeceiv'd,
know, one false step is ne'er retriev'd,
and be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
and heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
nor all, that glisters, gold.

how about a poem writing section by the members of wol
set a subject and off we go. Shizara was good at this-perhaps she would join in.
It would make a n interesting change.

[rebbonk]

I'm up for it, but I'm mainly likely to do short limerick styles.

[cathidaw]

Limericks are easy better than nothing and may liven the site up.Get away fro grumbles and politics-although I do my shareof moaning and it's not my nature.
You start ?

[rebbonk]

OK, lets go with something topical... BREXIT

[Finebyme]

Roses are Red ,
Violets are blue
Had enough of rulers and the EU,
Without much ado,
I'm ready for full English Brexit,
How about you?




Sorry it's politics again.